Shawn Hart – Jazz Jo

Description

Artist Statement

I am a graphic designer and fashion illustrator whose work centers on the life and legacy of Josephine Baker. My MFA thesis, “Josephine Baker: Using Imagery to Create an American Icon Through a Framework of Social Identity Theory,” continues to shape my artistic practice.
Through illustration and graphic design, I explore Baker’s identity as a performer, activist, war heroine, and fashion icon. My work presents her in a glamorous yet historically grounded manner, using vibrant color palettes to convey vitality and softer, muted tones to evoke archival and vintage sensibilities.